A Study on the Etching and Surface Characteristics of SiOC Thin Films After CFO Plasma Etching.

Silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) film was etched using a CF₄/CFO/O₂ mixed gas plasma through an inductively coupled plasma etcher. Changes in the dielectric constant and surface chemical bonding properties were investigated using ellipsometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Plasma diagnosis was carried out using a double Langmuir probe, ultraviolet detector, and residual gas analyzer.

On Relationships between Gas-Phase Chemistry and Reactive Ion Etching Kinetics for Silicon-Based Thin Films (SiC, SiO and SiN) in Multi-Component Fluorocarbon Gas Mixtures.

This work summarizes the results of our previous studies related to investigations of reactive ion etching kinetics and mechanisms for widely used silicon-based materials (SiC, SiO, and SiN) as well as for the silicon itself in multi-component fluorocarbon gas mixtures. The main subjects were the three-component systems composed either by one fluorocarbon component (CF, CF, CHF) with Ar and O or by two fluorocarbon components with one additive gas. The investigation scheme included plasma diagnostics by Langmuir probes and model-based analysis of plasma chemistry and heterogeneous reaction kinetics.

Plasma Parameters and Etching Characteristics of SiON Films in CF + O + X (X = CF or CFBr) Gas Mixtures.

In this work, we carried out the study of CF + O + X (X = CF or CFBr) gas chemistries in respect to the SiON reactive-ion etching process in a low power regime. The interest in the liquid CFBr as an additive component is motivated by its generally unknown plasma etching performance. The combination of various diagnostic tools (double Langmuir probe, quadrupole mass-spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) allowed us to compare the effects of CF/X mixing ratio, input power and gas pressure on gas-phase plasma characteristics as well as to analyze the SiON etching kinetics in terms of process-condition-dependent effective reaction probability.

Preparation of Nano-Porous Activated Carbon Aerogel Using a Single-Step Activation Method for Use as High-Power EDLC Electrode in Organic Electrolyte.

Carbon aerogel was chemically activated with KOH using two different activation methods (conventional activation method and single-step activation method) to yield the nano-porous activated carbon aerogel. Both nano-porous activated carbon aerogels exhibited a better capacitive behavior than carbon aerogel in organic electrolyte. However, a drastic decrease in the specific capacitance with increasing current density was observed in the ACA_C (activated carbon aerogel prepared by a conventional activation method), which is a general tendency of carbon electrode for EDLC in organic electrolyte.

Remote Manipulation of Droplets on a Flexible Magnetically Responsive Film.

The manipulation of droplets is used in a wide range of applications, from lab-on-a-chip devices to bioinspired functional surfaces. Although a variety of droplet manipulation techniques have been proposed, active, fast and reversible manipulation of pure discrete droplets remains elusive due to the technical limitations of previous techniques. Here, we describe a novel technique that enables active, fast, precise and reversible control over the position and motion of a pure discrete droplet with only a permanent magnet by utilizing a magnetically responsive flexible film possessing actuating hierarchical pillars on the surface.

Directional oil sliding surfaces with hierarchical anisotropic groove microstructures.

A robust directional oil sliding surface is presented by utilizing re-entrant micro-groove arrays inspired from the microgrooves of rice leaf. The overhang micro-groove arrays are shown to provide two primary goals of "omniphobicty" and "anisotropic sliding" with DI water (γlv = 72.1 mN/m) as well as mineral oil (γlv = 28 mN/m) and conventional photoresist.

The effect of Gunn's intramuscular stimulation for postherpetic neuralgia -A report of 4 cases-.

Herpes zoster is the consequence of reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus from dorsal root ganglia. Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) may be diagnosed when pain persists in a dermatomal pattern long after the vesicular erruption has healed. PHN is a kind of neuropathic pain.

The therapeutic effect of interventional microadhesiolysis and nerve stimulation (IMNS) under ultrasonographic guide in frozen shoulder patient: A case report.

Frozen shoulder is characterized by pain in the shoulder and limitation of glenohumeral movement. The underlying pathologic changes in frozen shoulder are synovial inflammation with subsequent reactive capsular fibrosis. Capsular fibrosis is the ultimate course of frozen shoulder suffering from various causes irrespectively.

Delayed recovery of neuromuscular blockade by rocuronium in a hypothermic patient during a laparoscopic procedure: A case report.

Perioperative hypothermia can occur frequently and lead to various complications. Laparoscopic procedures do not require a large incision or exposure of the viscera, but a prolonged and high pressure procedure can lead to unexpected hypothermia. Hypothermia prolongs the time-course of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents by reducing the plasma clearance significantly.

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage may serve as a successful rescue procedure in failed cases of endoscopic therapy for a post-living donor liver transplantation biliary stricture.

Background: Although a biliary stricture is one of the most important complications that develop after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), a standard approach has not yet been established.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of nonoperative management in repairing a post-LDLT biliary stricture.

Design: A total of 60 patients were referred, from July 2004 to July 2007, for management of a post-LDLT biliary stricture.

Beneficial effects of thiazolidinediones on diabetic nephropathy in OLETF rats.

Purpose: Diabetic nephropathy is the most serious of complications in diabetes mellitus. Thiazolidinedione (TZD) is thought to ameliorate diabetic nephropathy; however, the mechanism underlying this effect has not been elucidated. We hypothesized that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) participates in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and that TZD may be beneficial for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy because of the effect it has on VEGF.

A case of autoimmune hypoglycemia complicated with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Autoimmune hypoglycemia is characterized by hyperinsulinemia, fasting hypoglycemia, and the presence of insulin auto- antibodies without previous exposure to exogenous insulin. We experienced a case of autoimmune hypoglycemia without diabetes mellitus or any evidence of insulinoma. The insulin auto-antibody and insulin receptor auto-antibody were present.